


peace, in a moment

by rowofstars



Series: 31 Days of Ficmas 2017 [10]
Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: 31 Days of Ficmas, Christmas, F/M, Ficlet, Fluff, Light Angst, Post-Season/Series 01, Prompt Fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-10
Updated: 2017-12-10
Packaged: 2019-02-13 01:47:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12973044
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rowofstars/pseuds/rowofstars
Summary: Because I can't imagine them spending the holiday apart. For the 31 Days of Ficmas prompt #10 - Peace.





	peace, in a moment

**Author's Note:**

> Because Frank needs a drink, a nap, and some peace.

Snow is falling, gently blanketing the black concrete, brightening the gray tinge of the buildings, and dulling the sharp shrill of the sirens. Everything is thick and wet, the flakes gathering in the gaps and piling on ledges, a perfect picture of winter in the city. Behind him there are little candles in red glass cups; tea lights Frank remembers them being called. Maria used to have a line of them on the mantle. 

He swallows and turns the bottle in his hands, picking at a corner of the label, stopping when Karen comes up behind him. Her arms slip around him, and she presses against his back.

“I didn’t think you’d come,” she says.

The corners of his mouth shift, curving into a half smile. “You said free booze.”

He catches her hand in his and tugs until she comes around to stand in front of him. Her free hand brushes over his chest, picking at some imagined lint on his shoulder. She looks up at him, amused. “And I like free booze,” he finishes.

She smiles and laughs softly. “I hope it’s not just the _booze._ ”

It’s fresh in her mind still, Louis, Billy, _everything._ They met in the park a couple of weeks ago, after she’d had a vase of white roses in her window for three days. He’d healed some by then and looked more like himself than he had in weeks. She’d invited him over because it was Christmas, and it’s not as if either of them have somewhere to be or people to be there with. Foggy has Marcie, and, well - the rest is the rest. Sorting the beginnings and endings is still something that they both have to work through, something only they understand.

Her eyes close and she leans against his shoulder. “I’m glad you came.”

Frank turns, his arm coming up, and he brushes back her hair. The gesture is almost shy. “Me too.”

He moves down, fingers grazing her forehead, then down along her jaw before drifting to her neck. He runs his hand down and over her shoulder, and she lets out a sound that he feels against his palm.

She licks her lips and he dips forward, his mouth touching her cheek where it meets the corner of her mouth. _What do you want,_ he almost asks, but can’t or won’t, and forces himself to swallow as he straightens. She reaches up and pushes his hair back, and he sees that look, the same look she had in the elevator, where everything was either going to work out or fall apart, and they were all each other had.

Sighing, she leans into him, turning to watch the snow out the window. He holds one of her hands, his other resting on her back. He isn’t sure he’s ready for this, not yet, but it’s enough to know that she wants him here. His business might not be finished, and he won’t risk her until it’s truly over.

He hopes there will be flowers in the window when it is, but for now, there is peace.


End file.
